| 1. |
- Masoumi, Davoud, et al.
(author)
-
Continuing Professional Development : policies, practices and future directions
- 2019
-
In: International Journal of Educational Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-354X .- 1758-6518. ; 33:1, s. 98-111
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article provides an overview of the current state of continuing professional development (CPD) in Iran and attempts to map the national and local initiatives, procedures and challenges found in higher education institutions. It reports on the findings of a multiple sources design, analyses of relevant documents and policies and interviews with 14 faculty members at a well-known Iranian higher education institution. The findings present valuable insights into faculty development procedures, challenges and paradoxes that seem to shape faculty development in these institutions. Moreover, the findings highlight the need for structural modifications to simplify and harmonise the policies and procedures and harness profession development. To conclude, the initiatives and action plans that could contribute to faculty development and reshape the Iranian higher education landscape are discussed. The applications and implications are also seen as being relevant for similar higher education systems in developing countries.
|
|
| 2. |
- Abdekhodaie, Ehsan, et al.
(author)
-
WordCommentsAnalyzer : A windows software tool for qualitative research
- 2018
-
In: F1000 Research. - : F1000 Research Ltd. - 2046-1402. ; 7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is a lack of free software that provides a professional and smooth experience in text editing and markup for qualitative data analysis. Word processing software like Microsoft Word provides a good editing experience, allowing the researcher to effortlessly add comments to text portions. However, organizing the keywords and categories in the comments can become a more difficult task when the amount of data increases. We present WordCommentsAnalyzer, a software tool that is written in C# using .NET Framework and OpenXml, which helps a qualitative researcher to organize codes when using Microsoft Word as the primary text markup software. WordCommentsAnalyzer provides an effective user interface to count codes, to organize codes in a code hierarchy, and to see various data extracts belonging to each code. It also offers basic visualization tools. We illustrate how to use this software by conducting a preliminary content analysis on Tweets with the #successfulaging hashtag. We also demonstrate that the software has satisfactory performance on a large dataset of Iranian journals abstracts. We hope this open-source software will facilitate qualitative data analysis by researchers who are interested in using Word for this purpose.
|
|
| 3. |
- Ghamsari, Atieh Sadat Mottaghi, et al.
(author)
-
Mediating Role of Inhibition Control in the Relationship Between Age and Memory Changes Throughout Adulthood : An Aging Developmental Study in Iran
- 2024
-
In: Basic and Clinical Neuroscience. - : Iran University of Medical Sciences. - 2008-126X .- 2228-7442. ; 15:1, s. 49-60
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the age trends in various types of memory, including priming, working memory (WM), episodic memory (EM), and semantic memory (SM) from adulthood to old age, as well as the mediating role of inhibition control (IC) in the relationship between age and memory.Methods: A total of 796 healthy adults aged between 25 and 83 years participated in this cross-sectional study. They underwent assessment using a comprehensive battery of memory tests (adapted from the Betula battery), digit span tasks (to measure WM), and the Stroop colorword test (to measure IC).Results: The scatter plot with locally estimated scatterplot smoothing (LOESS) fitting line showed EM and WM declined steadily from age 25, while SM exhibited a mild increase up to age 55 followed by a decline. Priming did not show significant changes with age. Mediation analysis and bootstrap tests indicated that IC mediated the relationship between age and EM (beta=-0.097, P=0.002) and between age and SM (beta=-0.086, P=0.001).Conclusion: Our results showed that age affects various types of memory differently, and inhibition control plays a fundamental mediating role in explaining age-related declines in SM and EM.
|
|
| 4. |
- Hatami, Javad, et al.
(author)
-
Preliminary Reliability and Validity of the Iranian Computerized Version of Memory Tasks of the Betula Study
- 2020
-
In: Basic and Clinical Neuroscience. - Theran, Iran : Tehran University of Medical Sciences. - 2008-126X .- 2228-7442. ; 11:4, s. 535-548
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of an Iranian computerized memory battery modeled after the Betula study.Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of an Iranian computerized memory battery modeled after the Betula study (Nilsson et al., 1997). The researchers developed this battery as an assessment tool in the Sepidar prospective cohort study. One hundred and ninety-nine participants aged 19-83 years were tested extensively on different aspects of memory. Exploratory factor analysis of the data demonstrated factors similar to those reported by the Betula study. Results: The authors succeeded to converge the cross-sectional findings of the study and the data from longitudinal studies of memory aging by correcting possible cohort effects. Investigating age differences in episodic and semantic memory factor scores corrected by education and socioeconomic status revealed no significant difference between younger and older adults before ages 53 to 60, though linear age-related declines existed thereafter.Conclusion: The results support the reliability and construct validity of this computerized battery for memory assessment in Iranian adults.
|
|
| 5. |
- Jones, Benedict C, et al.
(author)
-
To which world regions does the valence-dominance model of social perception apply?
- 2021
-
In: Nature Human Behaviour. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2397-3374. ; 5:1, s. 159-169
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Over the past 10 years, Oosterhof and Todorov's valence-dominance model has emerged as the most prominent account of how people evaluate faces on social dimensions. In this model, two dimensions (valence and dominance) underpin social judgements of faces. Because this model has primarily been developed and tested in Western regions, it is unclear whether these findings apply to other regions. We addressed this question by replicating Oosterhof and Todorov's methodology across 11 world regions, 41 countries and 11,570 participants. When we used Oosterhof and Todorov's original analysis strategy, the valence-dominance model generalized across regions. When we used an alternative methodology to allow for correlated dimensions, we observed much less generalization. Collectively, these results suggest that, while the valence-dominance model generalizes very well across regions when dimensions are forced to be orthogonal, regional differences are revealed when we use different extraction methods and correlate and rotate the dimension reduction solution. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 5 November 2018. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7611443.v1 .
|
|
| 6. |
- Karsazi, Hossein, et al.
(author)
-
The moderating effect of neuroticism and openness in the relationship between age and memory : Implications for cognitive reserve
- 2021
-
In: Personality and Individual Differences. - : Elsevier. - 0191-8869 .- 1873-3549. ; 176
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Previous research has frequently shown the association between age, Neuroticism, and Openness with memory. However, few studies have investigated the interaction of these factors so far. The present study examined whether the relationship between age and memory is moderated by the Neuroticism and Openness using cross-sectional data from a sample of 550 Iranian participants. They completed the Persian version of the NEO five-factor inventory as well as the memory tests from the Sepidar cognitive test battery. The results indicated that Openness was significantly positively associated with episodic, semantic, and working memory, and the unique effect of Openness on episodic and semantic memory was found even after controlling for the effect of years of education, sex, socioeconomic status (SES), and age. Moderation analysis indicated that Openness moderated the relationship between age and semantic memory as well as age and working memory. Moreover, the results showed that the pathway between age and semantic memory was moderated by Neumticism. This study highlights the interaction between age, personality traits, and memory, which has important theoretical and practical implications for the cognitive reserve in healthy adults.
|
|
| 7. |
- Karsazi, Hossein, et al.
(author)
-
Which intellectual activities are related to cognitive reserve? Introduction and testing a three-dimensional model
- 2024
-
In: Psychological Research. - : Springer. - 0340-0727 .- 1430-2772. ; 88:4, s. 1081-1091
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: A common belief among people and some researchers is that keeping yourself mentally active may decrease the risk of dementia. Over the past years, despite widespread efforts to identify proxies for protecting cognitive reserve against age-related changes, it is still not clear what type of intellectual activity would be beneficial for cognitive reserve. To fill this gap, we propose a three-dimensional model of intellectual activity. According to this conceptual model, intellectual activities could be distinguished based on their locations in a three-dimensions space, including; (1) Activation: active vs. passive, (2) Novelty: novel vs. familiar, and (3) Productivity: productive vs. receptive. We assumed that the activities that are categorized as more active, novel, and productive could be considered as a cognitive reserve proxy.METHODS: To test this hypothesis, a sample of 237 participants older than 50 years (Mage = 58.76 ± 6.66; 63.7% women) was recruited to take part in the study. Episodic, semantic and working memory were assessed with computerized battery tests (Sepidar) and a self-report questionnaire was used to assess intellectual activities. Activities were categorized in terms of; (1) passive, familiar, and receptive activities (radio/watching TV), (2) active, familiar, and receptive activities (solving crosswords), (3) active, novel, and receptive activities (reading), and (4) active, novel, and productive activities (writing).RESULTS: The results indicated that writing moderates the effect of age on episodic and semantic memory. Reading only moderates the effect of age on semantic memory, and radio/watching TV and solving crosswords do not play a role in moderation analysis.CONCLUSIONS: Our finding suggests that intellectual activities have different moderating effects on the relationships between age and memory performance. Individuals with high levels of participation in novel and productive activities over the life course are less likely to clinically demonstrate cognitive impairments. Our results support the potential benefit of the three-dimensional model to provide a better insight into the complex role of intellectual activities in cognitive reserve, particularly for older adults. Further research is needed to evaluate the efficacy and the benefits of the model.
|
|
| 8. |
- Mohammad, Neda, et al.
(author)
-
The effects of different proxies of cognitive reserve on episodic memory performance : aging study in Iran
- 2020
-
In: International psychogeriatrics. - : Cambridge University Press. - 1041-6102 .- 1741-203X. ; 32:1, s. 25-34
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: The main aim of the present study is to investigate the association between different measures of cognitive reserve including bilingualism, mental activities, type of education (continuous versus distributed), age, educational level, and episodic memory in a healthy aging sample.METHODS: Four hundred and fifteen participants aged between 50 and 83 years participated in this cross-sectional study and were assessed with the Psychology Experimental Building Language Test battery tapping episodic memory. Demographic variables were collected from a questionnaire designed by the research team.RESULTS: Compared to participants with continuous type of education, those with distributed type performed better in tests of episodic memory, while no differences were found between bilingual and monolingual participants. We additionally found that age negatively predicts episodic memory, whereas playing mind teasers and educational level have positive relationships with episodic memory.CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that higher cognitive reserve, as measured by distributed educational training, higher level of education, and doing regular mental activities, is associated with better performance on episodic memory tasks in older adults. These results were discussed in connection with successful aging and protection against memory decline with aging.
|
|
| 9. |
- Mohammadi, Hamzeh, et al.
(author)
-
مقایسه عملکرد حافظه فعال در دانشآموزان دارای ناتوانیهای ویژه یادگیری یکزبانه ودوزبانه : [Comparison of working memory function between bilingual and monolingual students with special learning disabilities]
- 2021
-
In: Journal of Applied Psychological Research. - : University of Tehran. - 2251-8126 .- 2676-4504. ; 11:4, s. 165-179
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The present study aims to compare the working memory in monolingual and bilingual children with specific learning disabilities. The research employs an ex-post design).facto methodology (i.e., a causal-comparative The statistical population of the research includes the elementary students in Tehran and Javanroud in the academic year of 2013-14. Sixty children including 30 monolinguals (15 girls and 15 boys) (Persian) and 30 bilinguals (15 girls and 15 boys) (Kurdish-Persian) were selected from specific learning disabilities rehabilitation centers through convenience sampling. The research instruments for data collection consisted of the Wechsler Intellectual Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) and Wechsler’s working memory scale (WWM). Descriptive and inferential statistics, standard deviation, ver. 16independent t-test and the Friedman test in SPSS were used for data analysis. The results show that there are significant differences in relation to spatial working memory (p<0.05, t=-2.17) and working memory (p<0.05, t=-2.14) between monolinguals and bilinguals. There was no significant difference with regard to the letter-number sequence variable (p>0.05, t=-1.09). Based on the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that bilingualism is associated with improved working memory functions in bilingual children with SLD.
|
|
